[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 17 (Wednesday, February 7, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H209-H210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CUYAHOGA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION 55TH ANNUAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE MERIT 
                            AWARDS LUNCHEON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a part of a 
celebration of the Cuyahoga County Bar's Association 55th annual 
government service merit awards luncheon.
  On Friday, in Cleveland, Ohio, the Cuyahoga County Bar Association 
will recognize public servants who have given at least 25 years of 
service in the public arena. I would like to briefly go through and say 
a little bit about each of the persons who are going to be recognized.
  The first, Sandy Patton Campbell in the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's 
office. Since 1974, she has been an employee of the office of the 
prosecutor. Since 1999, she has been the administrative secretary to 
the person who nominated her, County Prosecutor William Mason. Mr. 
Mason is my successor.
  I previously served as a Cuyahoga County prosecutor and had the 
opportunity to supervise Sandy Patton Campbell, and she did a wonderful 
job.
  The second person, Carolyn Cervenak, she works in the Court of Common 
Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations. She is the assignment 
commissioner nominated by the Domestic Relations Administrative Judge 
Timothy Flanagan, and she is the person whose name is often spoken of 
at the court. Not only does she supervise the initial processing of 
newly filed cases, she is also in charge of the processing of pre- and 
post-decree motions.
  The third person, Albin T. Chesnik, is in the clerk's office of the 
Court of Common Pleas. He has worked there since 1973 and it is the 
only full-time employer he has ever had. That employer is Gerald E. 
Fuerst, the clerk of courts.
  Mr. Chesnik is the chief clerk for the Eighth District Court of 
Appeals and is responsible for maintaining the court's dockets and 
files and supervising data entry.
  The fourth person, William Danko, he has been employed by the General 
Division of the Common Pleas Court most recently as a court 
administrator. Again, I had the pleasure, when I served as a judge on 
the Court of Common Pleas, to have Mr. Danko as the administrator, 
where he did a fine job. It gives me great pleasure to celebrate him 
today.
  The fifth person, Linda Frolick in the Cuyahoga County Probate Court. 
She is the deputy clerk in the psychiatric department and has been with 
the Probate Court for the past 30 years. Her nominator is presiding 
Judge John J. Donnelly.
  The sixth person, Mary G. Gambosi of the Shaker Heights Municipal 
Court since 1975, she has worked for either the Shaker Heights Law 
Department or the Municipal Court, nominated by Municipal Court Judge 
K.J. Montgomery.
  The next person, Richard Graham of the Court of Common Pleas, 
Juvenile Court Division, nominated by Judge Peter Sikora, he has been 
an employee at the Juvenile Court since 1973, advancing through the 
series of positions to his current title of chief magistrate and 
judicial counsel. Again, I am able to say that I had an opportunity to 
work closely with Mr. Graham when I served as a Cuyahoga County 
prosecutor and would like to personally congratulate him.
  The ninth person, Yvonne C. Wood, United States Bankruptcy Court 
since 1969, she served in the Northern District of Ohio, nominated by 
Judge Randolph Baxter. She is now the deputy clerk in charge managing 
an office staff of 23 persons trained in preparing budgets, providing 
administrative tasks, and interacting with the public.
  Finally, Frances Zagar of the Eighth District Court nominated by 
Judge Ann Dyke. He has worked since 1977, been a judicial secretary at 
the Eighth Appellate District Court. Currently serving for Judge 
Terrence O'Donnell, her duties include editing and preparing journal 
entries for circulation to other judges.
  It gives me great pleasure, in light of the fact that I represent the 
11th Congressional District of Ohio, to celebrate all of these public 
servants who have given of their time and energy on behalf of the 
public. Congratulations to each and every one of them, and I will 
provide them with a copy of the Congressional Record.


       Sandy Patton Campbell--Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office

       Since 1974, Sandra Patton Campbell, has been an employee of 
     the office of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. Since 1999, she 
     has been the Administrative Secretary to the man who 
     nominated her, County Prosecutor William D. Mason. Sandy is 
     responsible for a myriad of tasks from, among others, making 
     appointments for her boss to preparing correspondence and 
     pleadings to maintaining bank accounts to preparing and 
     processing office vouchers and employee time sheets to 
     helping with the extradition of defendants from other states. 
     She takes pride in helping the office become modernized. She 
     recalls helping the Prosecutor's office in its first attempts 
     to computerize more than 20 years ago and takes pride in her 
     efforts in assisting such new programs as the Community Based 
     Prosecution Program in East Cleveland. Married to Thomas 
     Campbell since 1988, Sandy, the mother of Thomas and Mary 
     Kate, is a graduate of Our Lady of Angels School and St. 
     Joseph Academy. She continues to be active as a coach for her 
     children and those of others at Our Lady of Angels and St. 
     Mark's. She enjoys being a working Mom. Sandy spends her time 
     involved in any kind of sport, making crafts, decorating and 
     shopping.


Carolyn Cervenak--Court of Common Pleas, Division of Domestic Relations

       Assignment Commissioner Carolyn Cervenak, nominated by 
     Domestic Relations Administrative Judge Timothy M. Flanagan, 
     is, perhaps, the person whose name is most spoken at the 
     Court. Not only does she supervise the initial processing of 
     newly-filed cases, she also is in charge of the processing of 
     pre- and post-decree motions and the scheduling of hearings 
     in front of more than a dozen motion and support magistrates. 
     She also serves as Network Administrator of the Division's 
     computer system and was Project Manager in implementing the 
     Case Management System. A graduate of St. Augustine Academy, 
     Carolyn joined the Court after

[[Page H210]]

     service as a claims processor at an insurance company and as 
     a secretary to an attorney. Carolyn and her husband of over 
     three decades, Richard, are the parents of Scott, Robb and 
     Cindy. Carolyn is an active member of a woman's investment 
     group and enjoys cooking classes (and cooking). She also 
     attends special classes in computers and database technology 
     to insure that she will acquit herself well of her position 
     as ``Computer Czar'' for the Court. Carolyn recalls one 
     incident, some years ago, when a fellow employee was filing 
     and was startled by someone coming up behind her. She thought 
     it was a co-worker who liked to bother her and reacted by 
     shouting ``What are ya' doin', pervert!'' Carolyn remembers 
     her colleague's shock in turning around to find not the other 
     individual, but instead Judge Flanagan, who cordially (and 
     jokingly) invited the startled employee to get her discharge 
     notice from the Court Administrator's office.


          Albin T. Chesnik--Clerk's Office, Common Pleas Court

       Albin T. Chesnik works now, as he has since 1973, for the 
     only full time employer he has ever had, the Common Pleas 
     Court's Clerk's Office. Nominated by Clerk Gerald E. Fuerst, 
     Albin is Chief Clerk for the 8th District Court of Appeals 
     and is responsible for maintaining that Court's dockets and 
     files and supervising data entry of filings in the appellate 
     court. Beyond that, he insures that there is coordination 
     between filings in the 8th District with the necessary 
     filings in the trail courts and the Supreme Court of Ohio and 
     coordinates the return of files to the trial courts for 
     proceedings consistent with the decisions issued at the 
     appellate level. After graduation from St. Peter Chanel High 
     School in Bedford, Albin attended Cuyahoga Community College 
     and Kent State University. In his spare time, Albin enjoys 
     model railroading and railroad photography and is proud of 
     his collection of thousands of slides he has taken in his 
     travels around the country.


         William Danko--Court of Common Pleas, General Division

       Since 1972, William Danko has been employed by the General 
     Division of the Court of Common Pleas, most recently as the 
     Court Administrator, where he takes charge of non-judicial 
     employees and their compliance with court policies and 
     procedures, is liaison for the Court with other courts and 
     governmental agencies, prepares the court's annual budget, 
     performs human resources functions and a myriad of other 
     responsibilities. Prior to his current position, Presiding 
     and Administrative Judge Richard J. McMonagle's nominee 
     served in a variety of positions from scheduler to project 
     coordinator, among others. After receiving his bachelor's 
     degree from John Carroll University, William received 
     graduate degrees in social work and law, from Case Western 
     Reserve University and Cleveland State University. Prior to 
     his tenure at the Common Pleas Court, he was employed at 
     Catholic Family & Children's Services and at Parmadale 
     Children's Village. William is proud to have been married to 
     his wife Mary Lou since 1966, and they are the parents of two 
     adult children, Michael and Kristen. William is active in 
     professional organizations of court administrators and a 
     number of diocesan organizations and is a member of the 
     Leadership Cleveland Class of 1992.


              Linda Frolick--Cuyahoga County Probate Court

       Linda Frolick, Deputy Clerk in the Psychiatric Department, 
     has been with the Probate Court for the past thirty years. 
     Her nominator, Presiding Judge John J. Donnelly, writes that 
     she is ``a conscientious and willing member'' of the staff.


           Mary Jane Gambosi--Shaker Heights Municipal Court

       Since 1975, Mary Jane Gambosi, nominated by Shaker Heights 
     Municipal Court Judge K.J. Montgomery, has worked for either 
     the Shaker Heights City Law Department or the Shaker Heights 
     Municipal Court. In her position as Administrative Manager of 
     the Court, she plans, organizes and directs the Court's 
     activities, keeps the judge's calendar, coordinates the 
     judge, acting judges and magistrates, deals with the public, 
     handles human resources, prepares the budget and has, from 
     time-to-time, been involved in almost every non-judicial 
     activity of the Court. Mary Jane is active in various local 
     and state organizations for court clerks and administrators 
     and also has helped her bosses in the administrative work of 
     their professional organizations. A graduate of Maple Heights 
     High School, Mary Jane has been married for over 40 years to 
     Frank, and they have three adult children: Frank, Mary 
     Catherine and Theresa Ann. Previously honored by the City of 
     Shaker Heights for her years of public service, Mary Jane, in 
     her spare time enjoys swimming, golf, travel, music, dancing, 
     computer classes, and, most of all, her nine grandchildren. 
     She takes pride in solving problems, although she was a 
     little taken aback when an elderly lady asked for permission 
     to come into the secure area where Mary Jane's office was 
     located, after which that lady lifted her skirt above her 
     head to get to funds she had ``stored'' in her lingerie prior 
     to using those funds to pay a traffic ticket.


   Richard T. Graham--Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Court Division

       Nominated by Juvenile Court Administrative Judge Peter 
     Sikora, Richard Graham has been an employee at the Juvenile 
     Court since 1973 (with one short hiatus), advancing through a 
     series of positions to his current title of Chief Magistrate 
     and Judicial Counsel. Prior to this position, Richard served 
     in other positions, including Director of Legal Services and 
     Referee. He supervises the Court's magistrates, helps develop 
     and update procedures, provides advice to the judges and 
     magistrates and helps implement new law as they are 
     promulgated from Columbus. Raised in St. Clairsville, Ohio, 
     Richard received his undergraduate degree at Ashland 
     University and his law degree from Cleveland State 
     University. He and his wife, Diane, to whom he has been 
     married since 1973, are the parents of Brent and Adam. Now 
     retired from a long-time commitment as a soccer referee for 
     youth soccer leagues, Richard enjoys golf, cooking and 
     computers.


             Yvonne C. Wood--United States Bankruptcy Court

       Since 1969, Yvonne C. Wood has served at the United States 
     Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Nominated 
     by Bankruptcy Judge Randolph Baxter, Yvonne is now the Deputy 
     Clerk in Charge, managing an office staff of 23 in training 
     those staff members, preparing a budget, performing 
     administrative tasks and interacting with the public. Yvonne 
     rose to her current position from service as an Intake Clerk, 
     Docket Clerk and Case Administrator. Raised in McMinnville, 
     Tennessee, Yvonne is the mother of Ericha and enjoys cooking 
     and gardening. She cites the reward of activities in which 
     one can see the ``fruits'' of one's labor.


            Frances Zagar--Eighth District Court of Appeals

       Nominated by Chief Judge Ann Dyke, Frances Zagar has, since 
     1977, been a Judicial Secretary at the 8th Appellate 
     District, Court of Appeals of Ohio. Currently serving for 
     Judge Terrence O'Donnell, her duties include edit and 
     preparing journal entries for circulation to other judges, 
     tracking case status, data entry and any other tasks required 
     of her. For over 40 years, she was married to William, who 
     passed away in October 1997, and she still finds his loss 
     devastating. William was in advertising and art, and Frances 
     treasures his oils and watercolors. She is fond of bridge, 
     her cats and music. Prior to assisting Judge O'Donnell, 
     Frances is proud to have worked for now-retired Judges Thomas 
     Parrino and Blanche Krupansky. She maintains close contact 
     with her ``wonderful, fun'' family and still can count on 
     them, including her identical twin, Catherine. She is pleased 
     that the statute of limitations has passed and that she can 
     now confess that her sister took a course in high school for 
     her and that she and her sister are still so close that, on a 
     vacation, they brought the same books to read and that they 
     have even separately ordered the same dress from a catalogue.

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